"Background Check" Challenge and Blog Hop for Scrap 'N Stamp Canada

Welcome back, friends!!  Today is the start of another challenge for Scrap 'N Stamp Canada!  It's all about backgrounds!  The door is pretty wide open here...you can use a background stamp, use multiple images to create a background, ink blend, watercolour or use a stencil. The sky's the limit on this one!!

For my project, I decided to create my own stencil using a cover die AND trying out my new Life Changing Blending Brushes from Picket Fence Studio!! I was so excited to see that the SNS Store started to carry this line of stamps and dies!  The process took a bit of a turn about halfway through this card so let's take a look!!

I started by stamping, colouring and fussy cutting a few images from the Stuck On You Stamp set from Concord & 9th.

I decided to create my own stencil for the background of my card.  I used the Polka Heart Background Die from Lawn Fawn.  I die cut it out of printer/typing paper.

Initially, I thought I wanted a green heart background to co-ordinate with the cacti so I used a medium blending brush along with Twisted Citron, Crushed Olive and Peeled Paint Distress Inks. These brushes work awesome with stencils!!  I did try to do some direct ink blending without a stencil, and I just couldn't get the hang of it with these brushes. I also noticed quite a bit of wrist fatigue as well :(.  At this point, I would highly recommend these brushes for stencilling and small areas but personally, I'll continue to use the Ranger Ink Blending Tool for full backgrounds. 

You can see the nice blend these brushes create! And I was surprised at how well the ink cleaned off! I simply rubbed it onto a paper towel before each colour change.  And I did change the colour theme here!!  I just flipped over my home made stencil and used Worn Lipstick Disress Ink.

After I was done with the ink blending, I used a Wonky Stitched Rectangle Die to cut down the panel. I love the way it turned out!

Now it was just a matter of putting all the elements together!!  I used foam adhesive to adhere all my potted cacti onto the panel.

I should mention that I did a bit of paper pieces on the flower pots using some scraps of patterned paper in my stash.

I wanted to keep the card fairly CAS so I didn't add much else to it.

I love the soft blend these brushes gave and would definitely recommend them!

Just so happens, that for this weekend only, Scrap 'N Stamp is offering 20% off the Picket Pence Brushes when you use the CODE: BRUSH20!!

PRIZES:

There will be eight (8) grab bags along with one (1) $50 gift certificate to the SNS Store!  Now, those are some awesome prizes!!  All you have to do is leave some love at each stop of the hop for your chance to win!

CHALLENGE BLOG:

Remember, to enter your project on the SNS Challenge Page for another chance to win!!

BLOG HOP LINEUP:

Tara (SNS Blog)

Nancy E.

Laurie (that's me!)

Nancy F.

Deborah

Chala

Dawn

Kia

Susan

Thanks for hopping along with us today!!

Laurie